Animal
by vinewood.princess
Summary: "Get the fuck away from me." Draco snarled, the veins in his forehead protruding and pulsing. Hermione stepped back, regarding him silently. He was like an animal in a cage. DMxHG. Post-Hogwarts.


**A/N: I'm so absolutely, astronomically excited about this! I've been out of the Dramione game for a while and this idea has been sitting around for ages. So feeling newly inspired, I've edited and finished this long forgotten first chapter of I believe, complete and utter potential. This story will definitely be on the long side but I'm still unsure on how long. We'll just see where this takes us, hm? **

* * *

\- Animal –

Chapter 1: Wanted

Some people make all the wrong choices in life; trying so hard to survive in a world that they didn't ask to be born into. A world that is full of hate, turmoil, death, and suffering. They just try to make it one day at a time, doing whatever is necessary to see another sunrise. To take another sweet breath that so many others take for granted. They just want a chance, the chance they weren't offered years ago; to live life wholly and fully without fear of what is going to happen next. Some people were just dealt a bad card and they do whatever they can with it to make the best out of a very shitty situation.

"Crucio!"

Pure agony flashed through her eyes as her whole body contorted and twitched with the pain. Her blonde hair lay across her dirty, bruised face and her orb-like eyes silently begged him. Pleaded for him to stop what he was doing but he couldn't and he wouldn't. His old schoolmate wasn't going to get any pity from him. Luna Lovegood was done for, possibly to be sent to the dungeons and tortured some more until her brain was nothing more than mush. She was going to be the shell of the whimsical, airy Ravenclaw that he had known at Hogwarts. He didn't feel any sympathy, his heart had hardened long ago to the fact that all the people he knew from his childhood were either dying or going insane. There was nothing that he could do to stop it. Voldemort was a force to be reckoned with and he wasn't going to be the one to get in the way. He valued his life far more than anyone else's. It had been four years since the Battle of Hogwarts when the Boy-Who-Won't-Fuckin'-Die failed just as he predicted. They were all doomed. They were living in hell. No one could save them.

"Draco." A voice hissed behind him.

Draco Malfoy immediately pocketed his wand and watched as Luna took in a shaky breath before screeching as loud as she possible could. He stood deathly still, his gaze unwavering as she began throwing a fit like she was possessed.

"Take her away. We'll finish our little interrogation later." The cold voice directed to someone out of view.

Gregory Goyle appeared and grabbed Luna beneath her arms and dragged her away to the dungeons below their feet.

"She isn't breaking as I had hoped. She seemed the weakest out of the pathetic lot that Potter threw our way. I suppose a little Legilimency will do the trick."

"Yes, yes. I was thinking along the same lines, my dear boy. Yet, if only we had the Mudblood. Potter's little pet. We would have the upper hand."

"Soon enough, My Lord. She will be ours."

"Soon." Voldemort mused softly. "Soon is beginning to become your favorite word. Let us hope that I continue to have patience."

Draco remained silent.

"I would truly hate for you to turn out like your father. He was one of my biggest disappointments."

Draco felt his stomach clench uncomfortably at the mention of his father. The man who he had looked up to for so many years, the man who he had once believed could do no wrong.

"I will not disappoint you, My Lord."

"If you are wise, you surely won't." Voldemort replied.

The threat was there, hanging in the air like thick smog. The young Malfoy suddenly had an urge to leave.

Voldemort watched the blank expression on Draco's face with curiosity and sneered when he saw the tinge of pink creeping up his neck. He knew the boy was afraid and played with the weakness he found. His unnaturally long fingers gripped his wand and Draco tensed.

"You are dismissed."

Draco turned smoothly, trying his hardest not to rush, and exited the drawing room. To say he was relieved to be out of the Dark Lord's presence was truly an understatement.

As soon as the door clicked softly behind him, he let out a breath that he didn't even know he was holding.

"Fuck," Draco swore as he ran a hand over his face.

"You alright there, Malfoy?"

The hulking form of Goyle appeared from the shadows and almost made Draco jump. Almost.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing? Sneaking up on me like that."

"I wasn't sneakin'!"

"And to answer your question, I am perfectly fine. Your concern isn't needed."

Goyle shrugged. "Don't worry your pretty little head, Malfoy. I'm anything but concerned. It just doesn't seem like you have the backbone for the position you are in."

"Well, you were never very bright, were you?"

Draco knocked his shoulder into the larger man and stalked away, totally unaware of the murderous glare Goyle had directed at his back.

The Manor was so dark and cold now, it was indeed dark and cold before but it had recently reached a whole new, depressing level as Draco shuffled through the long hallways to reach his room where he could be left to his own devices for the remainder of the evening. Long shadows stretched across the walls making grotesque shapes but he didn't spare them a second glance. Nothing besides Voldemort scared him anymore, he was numb and dull to the natural human emotion of fear. He felt at the young age of 21 that he had been through it all; came from beyond hell and back.

He wearily entered his room before locking the door behind him with a flick of his wand. Draco shrugged off his black blazer and slowly began unbuttoning the shirt underneath. He just wanted a swig of some Dreamless Draught potion and to lie down. His slender fingers worked quickly in undressing himself and he happily slipped on a t-shirt and some cotton pajama pants and fell into the bed. He twirled his wand around in his hand absentmindedly as he stared at the ceiling.

If only fucking Potter won.

Where would he be now? What would he be doing?

Why was this his life?

* * *

"HERMIONE! DOWN!"

Hermione Granger barely had any time to register Ron's shouts before a jet of green light whizzed by her cheek, grazing a curl.

"Oh damn it," She cursed to herself as she watched the end of her hair sizzle.

It was time to move. She quickly gathered herself and ran for better cover. She took to hiding behind the bar; this spot would only last for so long. The Leaky Cauldron was in complete ruin to say the least. Dean Thomas and Lavender Brown had gone undercover to get supplies in Diagon Alley earlier when they had been discovered and ambushed. They had yet to find the reason or better – _the person _– who ousted them but that would have to be dealt with later.

A curse collided with a bottle near Hermione and she covered her head as shards of glass and firewhisky rained down on her. She chanced a peek around the corner and saw a Death Eater quickly advancing on Seamus from behind. The Stunning spell that emitted from her wand was almost instantaneous. The Death Eater dropped quickly, dead weight colliding with the old hardwood floor. She saw Harry and George dueling three other Death Eaters not too far off, one she immediately recognized was Bellatrix Lestrange. Seeing the deranged witch caused her blood to run ice cold and her breath to quicken. Memories of being tortured by her in Malfoy Manor quickly filled her head; it was something she would never be able to forget all the days of her life. She hated having that fear, it made her feel so weak but it couldn't be helped. Bellatrix had ruined her.

Hermione began to crawl hurriedly to the other end of the bar to gain some distance, as long as she didn't have to see her she could focus. She hurled more Stunning spells into the frenzy, there were so fucking many of them. The Death Eaters were like cockroaches, they only kept multiplying.

"THEY'RE RETREATING!" Harry yelled.

What?

On closer inspection, Hermione could see that they were disappearing one by one, all in dizzying puffs of smoke. She got to her feet and stood behind the bar, still in a defensive stance as she watched them apparate away.

It was a slight turn of the head, a blink of the eye, when she caught the gaze of Bellatrix. Hermione held her breath as the older witch smiled sickeningly at her. Her graying, crooked teeth looked like daggers in her mouth. She watched in horror as her former torturess blew a single kiss before turning on her heels and departing.

Hermione watched the empty spot where Bellatrix once was, frozen in fear. A howl of pain shook her from the trance, her lungs burning from her still not breathing. Someone was hurt. Hermione sprung into action and ran toward the sound. Katie Bell was lying on the floor, blood oozing from a gaping wound in her chest. Hermione fell to her knees, the injury was so great. She thought quickly, there had to be something she could do. The girl was just dying in a pool of her own blood. Lupin pushed to the front of the crowd that was quickly gathering around Katie.

"Back away! Back away!" He commanded, waving his arms.

The crowd loosened slightly, no one could really bear to look away. Another one of them was dying, slipping through their fingers.

Hermione was rummaging through her purse and fumbled with a vial of Dittany. She pulled out the stopper and began to pull at Katie's tattered shirt. Lupin watched and knelt next to the frazzled former Gryffindor.

"Hermione," he spoke softly, resting his hand on her shoulder. "There's nothing you can do."

Hermione stopped her ministrations and tears stung her eyes. "I can at least try…"

"Hermione…"

Blood gurgled in Katie's throat and spilled from the corners of her mouth, her body jerking slightly. Lupin yanked Hermione up and pushed her into the waiting arms of Harry and Ron.

"Take her away from here." He directed toward Harry.

Harry nodded stiffly and the Trio apparated away.

The air was different, clearer and salty when they landed. He had taken them to Shell Cottage. Hermione took in a greedy breath, wanting all the oxygen she could possibly inhale to get the stench of blood from her nostrils. Strong arms surrounded her, she wasn't sure whether it was Ron or Harry, and she didn't really care. She clutched at the unknown arms and just cried. Hands stroked her hair gently.

"It's going to be okay, Hermione."

She looked up into Ron's tired blue eyes.

"How could you possibly say that?" She pulled away and roughly wiped the tears from her face. "Everyone is dying! Day by day, someone else goes missing or dies!"

"There is nothing you could have done to help her." Harry quietly said.

"I don't know how much more I can take. I feel at wit's end." Hermione lifted her chin and looked out at the sea.

Ron tried to hold her again but she turned away from him.

"I want it all to end." She voiced.

"We all want it to end. You aren't the only one." Ron replied.

Harry pushed his glasses farther up his nose, his green eyes flashing. "If only I wasn't such a damned failure. This wouldn't be happening right now."

Hermione's heart ached as she turned to her best friend. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was blaming him. She cursed herself for being so tactless.

"No, Harry, no, this isn't your fault," She hugged him and didn't let go until she felt him reciprocate. "I'm not blaming anything on you at all."

"Yet I can't help but feel like the perfect one to blame. Excuse me." Harry pushed past her and began walking toward the house.

Hermione sighed and kicked childishly at the sand.

"He'll get over it. He knows you don't blame him, Hermione. Give him time."

She looked at Ron and nodded slowly. He held out his hand to her and she took it and they followed in their friend's footsteps.

* * *

Draco woke bright and early the next morning being pleasantly summoned by the Dark Lord. His Mark burned and he wanted badly to just claw at it, he pulled back the covers and stared at the angry blemish swirling on his otherwise flawless left arm. Draco climbed out of his bed and didn't bother bathing as he just cast a quick Scourgify before dressing in an immaculate black suit. He combed his fingers through his fine, blonde hair before leaving the room. He could already hear voices as he ventured down the main staircase and went to the drawing room. Heads turned towards him and silence fell on all the Death Eaters as he entered. All that could be heard were his designer dress shoes as he walked across the marble floor toward Voldemort's right side. The chair scraped back almost offensively loud as he took a seat.

"So nice of you to join us, Draco," Voldemort commented.

Draco barely nodded, just a small tilt of his head to acknowledge the fact that he was being spoken to.

"Now," The serpentine man clasped his hands together. "It is time to address the nature of what I have called you here for this morning."

Everyone waited with baited breath for what he would say. The Dark Lord was very volatile and his moods were ever changing, it could have been anything they've been called here for.

"We are here to discuss Harry Potter," His fingernails tapped the glossed mahogany table.

Draco tried not to grind his teeth at the sound.

"For years I have tried to get my hands on Potter but it seems….he has proved to be quite….elusive. A few years ago just when it seemed I had truly conquered, he found a way to fight through my grasp once again but...,"

"But My Lord-"A lower rank Death Eater piped up.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Voldemort yelled, a stream of green light blasting from his wand and hitting the man directly in the chest. His chair flew back and his body slumped to the floor.

Silence.

"…I have now found out a way to lead him straight to us. As of now, I have been…..unsuccessful in acquiring her but I'm sure you all know of Potter's Mudblood."

Murmurs of agreement could be heard around the table.

"I want her. Bring her to me. I don't care how but it is of the upmost importance to bring her to me alive. Whoever it is will be generously rewarded." The madman grinned at the enthusiasm among his followers. He knew a promise of a reward would give them the right incentive to bring her to him as soon as humanly possible.

Draco glanced around the table. Some Death Eaters looked ready to jump out of their seat and search for her this very moment, if only to kiss the Dark Lord's ass and stay in good graces. Hopefully his master's plan with Granger turned out well. Fucking Potter needed to get here and handle his shit. He needed this snaky bastard out of his hair and his home or he wasn't entirely sure how much longer his sanity would stay intact.

* * *

The liquor burned his throat on the way down but it was very much welcomed. Later that day, Draco found himself seated in an overstuffed armchair inside of Zabini Manor drinking his weight in firewhisky. He needed to get away, at least for a bit. His mother was currently away in Paris on another one of her extravagant shopping trips, he couldn't understand how the woman could just continue on with such frivolities as if everything was normal. Their life was anything but normal with one of the darkest wizards in history taking up residence in their home. Voldemort was up to whatever crazy shit he did when he was alone and Draco was free, at least as far as he could tell, for the rest of the day after the early morning meeting. Blaise was his first choice for a visit. His friend was neutral in the war and he just needed to clear his head and be around someone fucking sane.

"Slow down, mate. That can't possibly be healthy for your liver." Blaise said with a chuckle before sipping his own wine.

"Fuck my liver." Draco replied gruffly.

Blaise just laughed. They sat in comfortable silence for a moment.

"Why don't you join the Dark Lord?" It was a random question but Draco wanted to know the real reason behind him being neutral. He knew he sympathized with the views of every Pureblood. Muggle-borns had no place in their world and were nothing more than abominations. Why sit back? Why not fight for the cause that he supposedly supported?

His friend stared down at his wine glass for a second before responding. "I only agree with him to a certain extent. Yes, Mudbloods are disgusting and ultimately unworthy of their magic but I don't see the point in totally eradicating their existence. I'm not a complete monster; I rather just pretend they don't really exist."

"But they do…" Draco said slowly. "They do exist and because I'm fighting for the cause does that make me a monster?"

"No, mate. You're just following orders."

"So I'm a follower?" Draco looked up, his grey eyes burning.

"What the fuck is going on with you?" Blaise asked, putting his glass down on an end table.

"I don't know."

Draco didn't usually showcase his thoughts or feelings to anyone. He had become so accustomed to locking everything inside but with a good dose of alcohol and a friendly ear that he felt he could trust to some extent. He just couldn't help himself.

"You're questioning your position in the war." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

Draco shrugged. "I just wish I had a choice, a choice to be neutral in all of this. I'm sick of this shit. He's driving me mad and the way I could just kill and torture others and not even feel one little inkling of guilt anymore…."

"Mate…"

"I'm a fucking monster."

Draco's hair hung in his eyes but he looked and saw Blaise regarding him seriously.

"You're doing what you have to; you're surviving the only way you know how. You've adapted."

"I don't want to fucking adapt. I want my life back. The one I had before this motherfucker came back and turned everything upside down!"

Blaise just sat back and let his friend vent. He had probably been holding all of this in for years and had just found the perfect time to let everything out. Draco needed to get this off of his chest.

"I remember when everything was so much easier. When the only things I had to worry about were fucking Arithmancy homework and when was the next time I could take the piss out of Potter and the Weasel."

"Good times." Blaise remembered with a grin.

"Now…now everything is so fucked up. I feel like nothing will ever be set right and normal again."

"You can't have that mind set. You need to stay positive or you're just hurting yourself."

"How do I stay positive when Voldemort lives in my fucking house?" Draco asked, looking at Blaise in unbelief.

"I don't have all the damn answers. That's up to you." Blaise snapped his fingers and a house elf appeared and refilled his wine glass.

The elf then turned to Draco. "Would Mister Draco desire more to drink?"

"Very much more to drink," He replied.

Blaise smirked.

* * *

Hermione was currently seated in the kitchen at Shell Cottage, nursing a cold mug of tea. It had once been warm but she had kind of forgotten about it on account of her overwhelming thoughts. She and her friends needed to get out of this alive, there had to be some way. She wouldn't rest until she knew the answer to how. Her nature wouldn't just let her go forward so blindly. She needed facts and concrete information. Facts and information is what kept her going. She couldn't just rely on downright luck. Luck wasn't as reliable and hasn't exactly been on their side as of late.

"Hermione?" Harry poked his head inside of the kitchen and smiled when he saw her. "There you are."

"Hello, Harry." She replied, smiling back weakly. "Feeling well?"

After the ambush at the Leaky Cauldron yesterday, tensions were high, but now that they were settled and had some time to relax, things were better.

"Yes, I'm fine. Are you well?"

"Could be better,"

"Are you still thinking about -,"

"No." Hermione quickly cut him off. "I'm not."

Harry nodded.

"Just trying to figure out how we can get out of this alive….or if we even can."

"We just need to figure out where we went wrong. Once we figure it out, everything will be fine and we can kill him, Hermione, once and for all."

"I have no idea where we went wrong. I was so sure we got rid of every horcrux. Did he have more and no one knew? Not even Dumbledore?"

Harry made a pained face thinking about the fallen Headmaster. "I have no clue."

Hermione began going through her mental list. "There was the diary, ring, locket, cup, diadem, and Nagini. Right?"

"Right, we got rid of them all."

"This is so frustrating." Hermione took a sip of her cold tea.

"You're telling me." Harry replied.

Hermione smiled at him. "Have you heard from the other safe houses yet?"

"Yes, Lupin got in touch with me by patronus not too long ago. Grimmauld Place is secure and everyone is safe. Same goes for the Hilltop."

The Order had three official safe houses that were at the moment secure from Voldemort. Grimmauld Place was the main headquarters, then there was Shell Cottage, and the last was a quaint shack in the hills of Scotland that they had dubbed the Hilltop.

"That's good news."

"Yes, it is."

Good news no matter how small was cherished among them.

The next few days passed with not much incident, Voldemort and his Death Eaters had been quiet for the most part and everyone spent their free time training. Well almost everyone, Ron and Seamus were enjoying a very loud game of Wizarding chess today with Harry and Dean watching along enthusiastically but denying themselves simple luxuries such as that would only serve to drive them insane. They deserved some happiness, even if it was short-lived.

Hermione was outside practicing wandless spells with Fleur. Fleur was surprisingly a rather good dueling partner; she was quick and kept Hermione on her toes. The exertion and amount of effort put forth into perfecting wandless magic had her covered with a sheen of sweat. They had been at it for over an hour now and Hermione was growing weary. She knew in actual battle with Death Eaters they don't slow down or give you breaks to catch your breath. It was key to have endurance.

"More concentration," Fleur advised before casting another spell her way.

Hermione swiftly sidestepped the spell, twisting her body around. "Impedimenta!"

She watched as Fleur got knocked off her feet and landed at least two yards away on her back.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Hermione ran over to help her off the ground.

"No, shh, eet was brilliant. I am fine." Fleur grabbed hold of the younger girl's hand and rose to her feet. "I think we made wonderful progress today."

Hermione smiled. "You think? I really can't wait to get to non-verbal spells."

"One step at a time," Fleur laughed.

"I know, I know. I'm just so eager."

Fleur rested her hand on her shoulder, amusement tugging the corners of her lips into a smile as they headed inside. "Eet is evident."

"Check mate!" Seamus shouted as his bishop violently destroyed Ron's king. "Kiss my sweet Irish arse."

Hermione let herself chuckle, the two women entering through the sitting room. "How about it Ronald?"

Ron's cheeks burned bright red at Hermione having overheard. "I'm not kissin' a bloody thing! That was pure luck!"

Seamus shook with laughter. "Oy! No one likes a poor sport."

She continued on, letting the boys go back and forth amongst themselves. Ron exclaiming for a rematch with groans of disagreement from the others. Fleur then disappeared into the kitchen, fancying herself a snack.

Hermione was left alone and unnoticed, glancing around over her shoulder before setting right out the front door, not stopping until she reached the apparration point and disappeared with a pop.

The Dandelion House. Her sanctuary.

The vibrant yellow flowers glowed in the sunlight and she tiredly strolled up the stone walkway, leaning down first to pick a lonely fuzzy, white one. She closed her eyes and made a wish before blowing.

A wish of normalcy and certainty. A world where she felt safe and everything made sense again.

The seeds danced in the wind, carried by the unseen force. So simple. Beautiful. Pure. Nature had a way of cleansing her and making her feel like it would all be okay in the end. Even if fate decided against her, it was nice to feel hope. She had so little of it these days.

Hermione dropped the stem and made her way indoors. Home sweet home. In times of need it was an extra safehouse but ultimately it was all hers. Crookshanks greeted her at the door, causing her to smile.

"Hello there, I bet you're hungry." The cat just twitched his tail in a slightly agitated response.

She kicked her shoes off and went to refill his bowl when a familiar patronus appeared with one air-constricting message: He's here.

* * *

**A/N: I love a good cliffhanger. I hope you all enjoyed. Reviews make me smile. :)**


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